Access and support apparatus for loading and unloading gondola cars

ABSTRACT

An access and support apparatus for loading and unloading gondola railroad cars using a crane-type crawler, which system includes a trailer-mounted ramp for disposition in close proximity to a gondola railroad car and multiple pallets adapted for spanning the top width of the gondola railroad car and supporting tile crane-type crawler. The crane-type crawler is unloaded from the trailer and traverses the ramp to the pallets. In a first preferred embodiment the pallets are characterized by fixed pallets having no adjustable feature. In a second preferred embodiment the pallets are adjustable to accommodate a characteristic bulge in the center of the gondola railroad cars for a higher degree of safety. The pallets are typically sequentially moved from the rear to the front of the crane-type crawler as the crawler loads or unloads tile gondola railroad cars and traverses the length of the cars.

This is a divisional of copending application Ser. No. 07/963,604 filedon Nov. 30, 1992 which is a division of Ser. No. 07/678,229, filed Apr.1, 1991 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,369.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the loading and unloading of gondola railroadcars and more particularly, to an access and support apparatus forloading and unloading gondola railroad cars in a quick and efficientmanner using a crane-type crawler. In a preferred embodiment the accessand support apparatus of this invention is characterized by atrailer-mounted ramp adapted for manuevering in close proximity to thegondola railroad cars, and multiple, fixed or adjustable pallets adaptedfor spanning the top width of the gondola railroad cars and supportingthe crane-type crawler. In a typical application, a flat bed trailer isbacked to position the trailer-mounted ramp at the end of an open-topgondola railroad car above the coupler and the crane-type crawler isused to lift several pallets on top of the gondola railroad car. Thecrane-type crawler then ascends the ramp from the trailer to the palletslocated on the gondola railroad car to facilitate unloading the gondolarailroad car by an electromagnet, bucket, grapples or othermaterial-handling device. The crane-type crawler traverses the top ofthe gondola railroad car by repositioning the pallets from tile rear tothe front of the crawler in sequence, to allow complete loading orunloading of the gondola railroad car. The pallets can also be placedover the space between coupled gondola railroad cars to facilitatecontinual traversal of a string of gondola railroad cars by tilecrane-type crawler without requiring dismounting of the crawler from thetop of the cars.

One of the problems which exists in the loading and unloading ofrailroad cars and open-top gondola railroad cars in particular, is thelack of facility for accessing the interior of the cars withlifting-devices such as cranes and other loading and unloadingapparatus. Cargo such as scrap metal and tile like may be loaded andunloaded from gondola railroad cars using electromagnets mounted on thearms of cranes, but tile cranes must be properly positioned to accessthe interior of the gondola railroad cars without damaging the cars orthe cranes.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Loading of railroad cars such as open-top gondola railroad cars has beenachieved in the past by using cranes mounted on railroad flat cars, asdescribed in the Pierce Pacific Catalog included in the InformationDisclosure Statement filed with this application. Other techniquesinclude loading cross-ties in one end of the gondola car and operating acrane-type crawler inside the gondola car on the cross-ties to effectthe loading or unloading operation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,902, dated Nov.27, 1979, to Herzog, et al, details an "Apparatus for Loading andUnloading Railroad Cars". The apparatus includes a mobile wheeled devicefor loading and unloading an open-top gondola railroad car usingpower-actuated front and rear boom structures. A front supported foot isengageable with the upper surfaces of the railroad car sidewalls and isconnected to the free ends of a front boom structure and similarlyengageable rear supported feet are connected to the ends of outriggerarms movable outwardly from the sides of the rear end of tile mobileapparatus. The rear boom structure includes an articulatedmaterial-engaging grapple for effecting the loading and unloadingoperations. U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,394, dated Feb. 26, 1980, also toHerzog, et al, details a "Method For Unloading and Loading RailroadCars", which method utilizes the apparatus detailed in U.S. Pat. No.4,175,902. Another "Method and Apparatus for Loading and UnloadingRailroad Gondola Cars" is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,886, datedFeb. 9, 1988, to Larry E. Frederking. The method and apparatus aredesigned for loading and unloading gondola railroad cars having spaced,parallel side walls with upper supporting surfaces. The apparatusincludes a hydraulic excavator having a boom structure andmaterial-engaging device mounted on two tracks, the two tracks beingadjustable inwardly and outwardly from the base of the hydraulicexcavator to vary the distance between the tracks. Each of the trackshas a lip connected thereto, which extends downwardly adjacent to theupper surface of the parallel side walls of the gondola railroad car toprevent the hydraulic excavator from falling from the car when the twotracks are resting on the side walls of the car. An "Apparatus ForLoading and Unloading Railroad Gondola Cars" is detailed in U.S. Pat.No. 4,830,562, dated May 16, 1989, also to Larry E. Frederking. Thepatent details a hydraulic excavator provided with a boom structure anda material-engaging device rotatably mounted on two tracks for moving ahydraulic excavator from one location to another. Each of the two trackshas an inside set of rollers and an outside set of rollers forsupporting the track over its entire width and an adjusting structurefor moving the tracks inwardly and outwardly to vary tile distancebetween the tracks. A track support apparatus is also included forsupporting the track connected to the adjusting structure and multiplearms are connected to the outside of each of the track support apparatusto prevent the hydraulic excavator from falling from the gondola carwhen the two tracks are resting on the upper surfaces of the car.

It is an object of this invention to provide new and improved apparatusfor loading and unloading railroad cars and particularly, gondola-typerailroad cars using a crane-type crawler, which apparatus includes atrailer-mounted ramp for positioning in close proximity to the gondolarailroad car and at least two specially designed pallets located on topof the gondola railroad car to receive and support the crane-typecrawler.

Another object of this invention is to provide an access and supportapparatus for loading and unloading gondola railroad cars using acrane-type crawler, which apparatus includes a trailer-mounted rampadapted for positioning adjacent to tile end of a gondola railroad carabove the coupler and at least two fixed or adjustable pallets adaptedfor spanning the top of the sides of the gondola railroad car andsupporting the crane-type crawler as tile crawler is unloaded from thetrailer onto the ramp and then on the pallets, wherein the gondolarailroad car is loaded or unloaded by the crawler as tile crawlersuccessively traverses the pallets, moving each pallet in sequence fromthe rear to the front of the crane-type crawler.

Still another object of this invention is to provide new and improvedfixed pallets for removably positioning on the top of a gondola railroadcar and supporting a crane-type crawler and loading or unloading thegondola railroad car.

Still another object of the invention is to provide new and improvedadjustable pallets for spanning the top width of a gondola railroad carin adjustable relationship to compensate for the bulging center sectionof the car and supporting a crane-type crawler for loading or unloadingthe car.

A still further object of this invention is to provide new and improvedadjustable pallets for removably mounting on the top of a gondolarailroad car and adjustably spanning the bulging sides of the railroadcar and supporting a crane-type crawler for loading and unloading therailroad car, wherein the adjustment feature includes spaced-apart,downwardly-extending leg assemblies, each having an adjustable innersleeve to compensate for the bulging of the gondola railroad car nearthe center thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other objects of the invention are provided in a new andimproved access and support apparatus for unloading gondola railroadcars, which apparatus includes a ramp mounted on a flatbed trailer forlocating the ramp adjacent to a gondola railroad car above the carcoupler and several pallets adapted for spanning the top of the gondolarailroad car, to facilitate moving a crane-type crawler from the trailerup the ramp and onto the pallets, wherein the gondola railroad car maybe loaded or unloaded by successively traversing the pallets pursuant tomovement of each of the pallets in positional sequence from the rear tothe front of the crane-type crawler. The pallets may be fixed oradjustable in design, the latter of which each include fourdownwardly-extending leg assemblies fitted with horizontally-adjustableinner sleeves for accommodating the bulging or irregular, non-parallelside configurations of the gondola railroad cars.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred adjustable pallet forspanning the width of a gondola railroad car;

FIG. 2 is a side view, partially in section, of one end of theadjustable pallet illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one corner of an alternative preferredfixed pallet for spanning the width of the gondola railroad car;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the fixed pallet illustrated in

FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the adjustable pallet illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the adjustable pallet illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2and 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view, partially in section, of the access and supportapparatus adjacent to a gondola railroad car, which apparatus ispositioned for loading or unloading the gondola railroad car;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the ramp element of the access and supportapparatus illustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9A is a side view of the access and support apparatus illustratedin FIG. 7, more particularly illustrating a crane-type crawlerprogressing from the ramp element to a pallet element of the access andsupport apparatus, which pallet spans the sides of an open-top gondolarailroad car;

FIG. 9B is a side view, more particularly illustrating the progressionof the crane-type crawler on pallets removably mounted on the tops ofthe gondola railroad car;

FIG. 9C is a side view of the gondola railroad car, crawler and pallets,more particularly illustrating a preferred first step in sequentiallyrelocating the pallets one-by-one from the rear to the front of thecrane-type crawler;

FIG. 9D is a side view of the gondola railroad car, crawler and pallets,more particularly illustrating a preferred second step in relocating thepallets, and;

FIG. 9E is a side view of the gondola railroad car, crawler and pallets,more particularly illustrating a preferred technique for spanning thespaces between gondola railroad cars using a pallet of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring initially to FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings, a primary elementof the access and support apparatus of this invention includes a fixedpallet 1, spanning the gondola sides 56 of a gondola railroad car 55.The gondola railroad car 55 is characterized by train wheels 58, mountedon rails 59 and includes a coupler 60 on each end. Other elements of theaccess and support apparatus include a trailer 50 having a trailer bed51, supported by wheels 52, upon which bed 51 is mounted a ramp 43. Theramp 43 is characterized by a horizontal ramp base 44, which is seatedon the trailer bed 51 of the trailer 50 and tread supports 45 aremounted in spaced, inclined relationship on the ramp base 44 by means ofmultiple ramp braces 47. The tread supports 45 are further provided withspaced tread grip bars 46 for accommodating the tracks 64 of acrane-type crawler 62, illustrated in phantom in FIG. 7. A horizontalramp overhang 48 extends from the inclined tread supports 45 andprojects over the top of the gondola sides 56 of the gondola railroadcar 55. Accordingly, it will be appreciated from a consideration ofFIGS. 7 and 8 that the crane-type crawler 62 may be located on thetrailer bed 51 of the trailer 50 along with the ramp 43 and operated totraverse the spaced tread supports 45 in the manner illustrated inphantom in FIG. 7, to access the top of the gondola railroad car 55. Itwill also be appreciated from a consideration of FIG. 7 that thecrane-type crawler 62 may ascend the ramp 43 and use an electromagnet 66(also illustrated in phantom) to position a fixed pallet 1 on thegondola sides 56 for accessing and loading or unloading the gondolarailroad car 55, as further hereinafter described.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6 of the drawings, in a preferredembodiment of the invention an adjustable pallet is generallyillustrated by reference numeral 21. Like the fixed pallet 1 illustratedin FIG. 7, the adjustable pallet 21 is designed to span the gondolasides 56 of a gondola railroad car 55 and facilitate access by thecrane-type crawler 62. The adjustable pallet 21 is characterized by apair of spaced, parallel, box-beam spanning members 2, each fitted withan end bevel 3 and an inwardly-facing lifting lug 4, for handling theadjustable pallet 21. Reinforcing plates 5 may be provided on theextending ends of the spanning members 2 for strengthening spanningmembers 2, as further illustrated in FIG. 5. The spanning members 2 aremaintained in parallel, spaced relationship by three cross-members 6,which, like the spanning members 2, are most preferably characterized bybox-beam construction. End gussets 7 are provided between the end onesof the cross-members 6 and the corresponding spanning members 2 forstrengthening purposes. Similarly, channel-shaped cross-braces 9 spanthe distance between the respective spanning members 2 forward, oroutside of the end ones of the cross-members 6 and may be welded at theends to the end gussets 7, to further stiffen the adjustable pallet 21,as is more particularly illustrated in FIG. 1. Each of the cross-braces9 is characterized by a top cross-brace web 10 and a bottom cross-braceweb 11, projecting in spaced, parallel relationship from a verticalcenter plate 12, as further illustrated in FIG. 1. A flat deck plate 13is located on the top surfaces of the spanning members 2, cross-members6 and the top cross-brace web 10 of the cross-braces 9, respectively,where the deck plate 13 is welded into position, as further illustratedin FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6. The deck plate 13 is characterized by endmargins 14, which terminate at the top cross-brace web 10 of each of thecross-braces 9, respectively, and side margins 15, which parallel theoutside edges of the top surface of the two spanning members 2. The deckplate 13 is welded to the top cross-brace web 10 of each of the crossbraces 9, respectively, as well as the spanning members 2, according totechniques well known to those skilled in the art. A pair ofupward-standing guides 17 are provided in spaced, parallel relationshipon the deck plate 13 for guiding the tracks 64 of the crane-type crawler62, as further hereinafter described. Each of the guides 17 ischaracterized by an upward-standing guide plate 17a, the bottom edge ofwhich is welded or otherwise secured to the deck plate 13 and aninwardly-projecting top guide web 18, welded or otherwise secured to thetop edge of the guide plate 17a, with guide gussets 19 provided inspaced relationship between the top guide web 18 and the guide plate17a, for stiffening and support purposes. Like the guide plate 17a, thebottom edges of the guide gussets 19 are welded or otherwise rigidlysecured to the deck plate 13. A web radius 20 is shaped inoppositely-disposed, facing relationship in the top guide webs 18 tofacilitate insertion of the electromagnet 66 between the guides 17 andagainst the deck plate 13 for lifting and handling the adjustable pallet21, as hereinafter further described. A leg assembly 23 projectsdownwardly from each corner of the adjustable pallet 21, as furtherillustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6. Each leg assembly 23 is furthercharacterized by parallel, vertically-spaced legs 24, each fitted with aleg bevel 25 at the top thereof and joined at the bottom by a horizontalouter sleeve 27. The outer sleeve 27 is further provided with an outersleeve end plate 28 and a stiffener angle 29, to increase the structuralintegrity of the outer sleeve 27. In a preferred embodiment of theinvention, each outer sleeve 27 is characterized by a box beam typeconstruction, with outer sleeve walls 30 of selected thickness. Theouter sleeves 27 each accommodate a horizontal inner sleeve 32 insliding relationship, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Each inner sleeve32 is further characterized by an inner sleeve end plate 33 and innersleeve walls 34 of selected thickness and inner sleeve pin openings 35are located in spaced, aligned relationship in the top and bottom innersleeve walls 34. The inner sleeve pin openings 35 are designed toselectively register with corresponding outer sleeve openings 31,provided in the top and bottom outer sleeve walls 30, to facilitateinsertion of the respective sleeve pins 37 vertically in the outersleeve openings 31 and the corresponding inner sleeve pin openings 35,and horizontal adjustment of the inner sleeve 32 with respect to theouter sleeves 27, as illustrated in FIG. 2. In a preferred embodiment,each of the sleeve pins 37 includes a curved pin grip 38 and a pin plate39 is welded or otherwise secured to the top outer sleeve wall 30 and isalso provided with spaced openings (not illustrated) to accommodate therespective sleeve pins 37. As further illustrated in FIG. 2 of thedrawings, the inner sleeve 32 is slidably horizontally adjustable withrespect to the outer sleeve 27, in order to position the inner sleeveend plates 33 against the gondola sides 56 of the gondola railroad car55. This adjustment feature is useful, since the gondola sides 56 of thegondola railroad car 55 frequently bulge outwardly near the center dueto wear and use, and the adjustment feature is useful to minimizetransverse slippage of the adjustable pallet 21 upon linear traversal ofthe gondola railroad car 55 by the crane-type crawler 62 in the mannerhereinafter further described.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, it will be appreciatedby those skilled in the art that the fixed pallet 1 is identical to theadjustable pallet 21 except for ommission of the four leg assemblies 23.Accordingly, the fixed pallet 1 can be utilized to span the gondolasides 56 of a gondola railroad car 55 in the manner illustrated in FIG.7, without the adjustment feature offered by the leg assemblies 23.

In operation, and referring now to FIGS. 7 and 9A-9E of the drawings,the trailer-mounted ramp and pallet elements of the access and supportapparatus of this invention are utilized to load or unload a gondolarailroad car 55 as follows. Referring initially to FIGS. 7 and 9A, acrane-type crawler 62 is initially located on the trailer bed 51 of atrailer 50, along with the ramp 43, as hereinafter described. The ramp43 is most preferably positioned in close proximity to one end of thegondola railroad car 55, with the ramp overhang 48 projecting above thecoupler 60, as illustrated in FIG. 7. It will be appreciated that thetop surface of the ramp overhang 48 is slightly above the top surface ofthe gondola sides 56 when the ramp 43 is in functional position, asillustrated in FIG. 7. The crane-type crawler 62, illustrated in phantomin FIG. 7, is then caused to move from a horizontal position on thetrailer bed 51 adjacent to the ramp 43, upwardly along the paralleltread supports 45 of the ramp 43, such that the crane arm 65,illustrated in FIG. 9A, is able to reach a fixed pallet 1 or anadjustable pallet 21, located on the ground or also on the trailer bed51. The crane arm 65 is fitted with an electromagnet 66 in conventionalfashion and is operated to engage the deck plate 13 of the fixed pallet1 (or an adjustable pallet 21) illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 and lift thefixed pallet 1 or adjustable pallet 21 to the position illustrated inFIG. 7, spanning the gondola sides 56. The crane-type crawler 62 is thenadvanced further upwardly on the tread supports 45 of the ramp 43, withthe tread grip bars 46 serving to provide safe traction for the tracks64, until the crane-type crawler 62 is in the relative positionillustrated in FIG. 9A. The crane arm 65 and electromagnet 66 are thenmanipulated by an operator in the cab 63 to place a second fixed pallet1 or adjustable pallet 21 forwardly of the first fixed pallet 1 oradjustable pallet 21 on the gondola sides 56 of the gondola railroad car55, to facilitate advancement of the crane-type crawler 62 still fartheralong the top of the gondola sides 56. The crane arm 65 can then beoperated along with electromagnet 66, to unload the ferrous metal cargo57, located in the gondola railroad car 55, in conventional fashion, asillustrated in FIG. 9A.

As illustrated in FIG. 9B, when the ferrous metal cargo 57 has beenunloaded from the accessed end of the gondola railroad car 55, thecrane-type crawler 62 is operated to place an additional fixed pallet 1forwardly of the second and third fixed pallet 1 illustrated in FIG. 9B,to continue along the gondola sides 56. As illustrated in FIGS. 9C and9D, each rearwardly positioned fixed pallet 1 (or adjustable pallet 21)can be successively moved by operation of the crane arm 65 and theelectromagnet 66 to the forward position, to facilitate continuedprogress of the crane-type crawler 62 along the gondola car sides 56.This procedure allows progressive operation of the crane-type crawler 62to unload the ferrous metal cargo 57 sequentially and successively alongthe entire length of the gondola railroad car 55. As further illustratedin FIG. 9E, an additional fixed pallet 1 or adjustable pallet 21 can beutilized to span the distance between successive coupled gondolarailroad cars 55, to continue the progress of the crane-type crawler 62along the entire length of a string of coupled gondola railroad cars 55for unloading the ferrous metal cargo 57.

Unloading the crane-type crawler 62 from the elevated position on thegondola railroad cars 55 is achieved by a reversal of the loadingprocess, with the crane-type crawler 62 exiting the last one of thefixed pallets 1 or adjustable pallets 21 on the end of the last gondolarailroad car 55 to be unloaded, onto the ramp 43, which is positionedadjacent to this last gondola railroad car 55 by operation of thetrailer 50. Accordingly, the crane-type crawler 62 proceeds down theinclined tread supports 45 onto the horizontal portion of the trailerbed 51, where it and the ramp 43 are ready for transportation to anotherlocation and loading and/or unloading additional gondola railroad cars55.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that loading andunloading of the crane-type crawler 62 onto and from the gondolarailroad cars 55 and handling of cargo can be equally well achieved byusing either the fixed pallets 1 or the adjustable pallets 21, or acombination of both. However, referring again to FIGS. 1, 2 and 9A-9E,the adjustable pallet 21 is most frequently utilized to span the gondolasides 56 of the gondola railroad car 55 under circumstances where thegondola sides 56 bulge outwardly or are otherwise irregular andnon-parallel due to age and extended use. Under these circumstances, andreferring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the respective sleeve pins 37 may beremoved from the outer sleeve openings 31, located in the outer sleeve27, and the aligned inner sleeve pin openings 35 provided the innersleeve 32. The inner sleeves 32 may then be extended with respect to theouter sleeves 27 to fit the respective inner sleeve end plates 33against the inside surfaces of the irregular gondola sides 56 and thesleeve pins 37 again inserted in the outer sleeve openings 31 and thenewly registering inner sleeve pin openings 35, as illustrated in FIG.2. This procedure prevents the adjustable pallets 21 from slidinglaterally when traversed by the crane-type crawler 62 and increases thesafety factor when utilizing the crane-type crawler 60 on the tops ofthe gondola sides 56. This adjustment may be made further outwardly andagain inwardly, as each successive adjustable pallet 21 is deployed onthe gondola sides 56, depending upon the extent of deviation of thegondola sides 56 from the normal parallel configuration.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the access andsupport apparatus of this invention is characterized by convenience andutility, in that a string of gondola railroad cars 55 of substantiallyany length can be quickly and easily loaded or unloaded using aconventional crane-type crawler loaded on a flatbed or "low boy" trailer50, along with a corresponding ramp 43. Furthermore, the ramp 43 may beeither permanently fixed to the trailer bed 51 or removably mounted, inorder to prevent the crane-type crawler 62 from causing unsafe movementof the ramp 43 with respect to time trailer bed 51 during the loading orunloading operation. Moreover, as heretofore described, either the fixedpallet 1 or the adjustable pallet 21 may be utilized to support thecrane-type crawler 62 on the gondola sides 56 of the gondola railroadcar 55, depending upon extent of "bulge" or distortion in the gondolasides 56 of the particular gondola railroad cars 55 being loaded orunloaded. For example, under circumstances where the gondola railroadcars 55 are new and in fairly good condition and are thereforecharacterized by substantially parallel gondola sides 56, the fixedpallet 1 may be safely utilized. Alternatively, under circumstanceswhere the gondola car 55 are older and are characterized by significantbulging of the gondola sides 56 near the centers thereof or otherirregularities, the adjustable pallets 21 are safer for this service.

It will be further appreciated by those skilled in the art thatsubstantially any crane-type crawler fitted with tracks 64 may beutilized in the access and support apparatus of this invention to loadand unload gondola railroad cars. It will be further appreciated thatthese crane-type crawlers nay be fitted with grapple hooks, buckets orother conventional unloading members rather than the electromagnet 66,depending upon the character of the cargo 57 to be loaded or unloaded.Moreover, while metal such as steel or aluminum is a preferred materialof construction, other materials such as wood, fiberglass and the like,in non-exclusive particular can also be used without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been describedabove, it will be recognized and understood that various modificationsmay be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended tocover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scopeof the invention.

Having described our invention with the particularity set forth above,what is claimed is:
 1. In an open top gondola railroad car and acrane-type crawler having parallel tracks and an electromagnet forunloading the open top gondola railroad car, the improvement comprisingfixed pallet for positioning on the top edges of upwardly-extendingsides defining the open top of the gondola railroad car and supportingthe crane-type crawler, said fixed pallet comprising a framecharacterized by a pair of spaced spanning members, at least two-crossmembers connecting said spanning members in spaced relationship and aflat top plate spanning said frame substantially equidistant from theends of said spanning members, for supporting the crane-type crawler, apair of guides upward-standing from said top plate in spacedrelationship for guiding the tracks of the crane-type crawler over saidfixed pallet and a web radius provided in said guides for accommodatingsaid electromagnet.
 2. The fixed pallet of claim 1 further comprising apair of channel-shaped cross-braces connecting said spanning members inspaced relationship, for stiffening said frame.
 3. The fixed pallet ofclaim 2 further comprising end gussets connecting said spanning membersand said cross-members, respectfully, for further stiffening said frame.4. The fixed pallet of claim 3 further comprising lifting lugs providedon said spanning members for lifting and handling said fixed pallet.